You can watch the Aspen Institute NCLB report release event “live” on your PC right now. The key players are talking. They’re on stools.
Or, you can read the report here. It includes 75 recommendations. There were 12 hearings and “over 10,000 emails, submissions of written testimony, meetings and letters from those with thoughts on how to improve the law.” As previously reported, the Commission is planning a series of events through 2007.
The responses are already beginning. PEN is calling for more focus on improvements not just sanctions, and more focus on parent engagement, and more resources. PEN has a complete set of NCLB informational tools available at www.PublicEducation.org.
The EdSec says she likes it.
10:30 AM UPDATE: Now they’re talking about highly qualified principals.... whaa?
10:33 AM UPDATE: Voluntary national standards and assessments? Oh nooo....!
10:50 AM UPDATE: Something about changing the ELL percentages.
10:54 AM UPDATE: Governor Barnes says “We have national standards....We already know what students are supposed to know.”
10:59 AM UPDATE: Zut alors!! Cut off from ze webcast!
MORE RESPONSES:
Eduwonk says that NCLB haters won’t like the report cuz it’s relatively tough-minded but Petrillians will criticize it for not being big enough (even though it’s got national standards in there).
The AFTies say that the report’s highly qualified teacher proposal is “unrealistic, arbitrary, and unworkable, and say that TAP does it better.
EdWeek’s David Hoff hashes out the implications of the data systems and national testing proposals that are part of the report recommendations.